Decorticating machine



July 7, 1942. w. B. s lMoNs 2,288,652

ECORTIGATING MACHINE Filed Jan. s, 1941 2 sheets-shawl {wf/ fn y lNvENToR ,J /Qww ATTORNEY July 7 1942- w. B. slMoNs 2,288,652v

' DEQORTICATING MACHINE Filed Jan. 6, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATToRNE'Y king drawings in which:

Patented July 7, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DECORTICATING MACHINE walter B. simens, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application January 6, \'1941, serial No.' 373,203

'z claims. (o1. 19-27) This invention relates to machines for processing the leaves and other parts of sisal, Sanse- Vieria, banana and'similar plants to isolate the ber in its natural state and more particularly the invention is concerned with improvements in decorticating machines of the kind wherein the plant parts are moved lengthwise, rst in one directionand then in the other, between a rasping plate and a bladed roll to effect the removal from the iibersof the pulp and other non-brous materials.

One object of the invention. is to provide a machine whi'ch is so designed .that in the processing of the plant parts the fibers are cleaned thoroughly and rapidly without waste `and without ybeing weakened or otherwise injured. a

A further object is to provide a machine which, although small in size and readily portable, will have a large capacity, this object contemplating a construction which will permit two or more operators to work at the machine atthe same time without interfering with one another.

A still further object is a machine in which provision is -made for preventing the spraying upon the operator, or operators, of, the juices which are liberated as an incident to the operation of the machine. y

A still further object is to provide for facility in adjusting the machine to adapt it to diiierent kinds of plants and to compensate for wearing of the parts.

The invention is illustrated in the accompany- Figure 1 is a top view of. a machine embodying the features of the invention. i

\ Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figures 3 and 4 are fragmentary sections taken along the same line as Figure 2 showing different angular positions of the bladed roll with respect to one of the rasping plates.

Figure 5 is' al side elevation of a modified form of machine. Figure 6 is a fragmentary view of another form of machine. y

Figure 7 is a s ide elevation of still another form Vof machine.

Figures 8 and 9 are enlarged fragmentary sec-y tions taken along lines B-Band '9e-9, respectivelyof Figure 7.

lFigure 10 is a. detail section taken along line Figure 11 is a similar section taken along line yI I-II of Figure 7.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary view of a leaf show-` ing the manner in which the threads of a rasped end are twisted into a stem preparatory to being A inserted between the jaws of theigripping element which is to advance the leaf through the machine.

The machine, as illustrated, in Figures and 2,

includes an elongated bladed rasping roll I2, the

. top. wallof .the working chamber for the roll being provided by a pair of cover sections IBand Ilia arranged end-to-end in abutting relation. The journals I3 of the roll are mounted in bearings I4 which are carried at the opposite ends of a base casting I5 and support th'e ro'll in the desired relation with respect to rasping plates I'I and I8. The former ismounted upon a front wall I9 of the base casting at one end and in front of the roll and the latter is supported over and at the opposite end of the'roll', the said plates by a belt 22,to the drive pulley of a suitable motor.

The body 23 of the rasping roll is multi-sided. As illustrated, it is hexagonal and each side thereof carries a channel member 24, the angesof the latter providing blades 25 which have slightly rounded edges, which occupy parallel planes .and which extend at right angles with respect to the side of the roll to which the member is secured. The rasping roll is mounted so that the spaces between the edges of the blades 25 and the rasping plates, which will ordinarily be of the order of a few thousandths of an inch,fa re predetermined to provide just enough clearance to accommodate the fibers which are to be isolated. The leaves or other fiber containing plant parts which are to be I passed between the roll and the rasping plate passed-between the roll I2 and the rasping plate I1 are arranged lengthwise upon a table 26 and introduced into the housing I6 through an opening 21 which preferably extends the full length of the cover section I6a, the upper surface of the table. occupying the same horizontal plane as the upper edge of the rasping plate and the axis ofthe roll.l The plant parts which are to be I8 are'arranged in the same'manner upon a table 28, lwhich is locatedf at the opposite side and end of the machine, vand are introduced into' the housing through an opening 29 which pref erably extends the full length ofthe cover section I6, the upper surface of the table in this instance, although horizontal, being substantially tangential to the path of the blades 25, being normal to the vertical plane occupied by the leading edge of the plate I8 and the axis of the roll I2 and being located at a higher elevation than the corresponding surface of the table 26. In

order to prevent the escape from the housingof the plant juices which are liberated in the form of a spray, rollers 30 are preferably mounted in front of the openings 21 and 29. The rollers are freely rotatable, are provided with journals which extend intovertical guides 3I and ride over the plant parts which are introduced into the machine, the guides permitting the rollers to raise and lower in accordance with the thickness of the plant parts to prevent any of the juice mist or spray from being thrown in the direction of the operators who stand in front of or alongside the tables 26 and 28.

In the machine shown in Figure 6 the escape of the juice mist or spray into the surrounding atmosphere is prevented by a curtain 32 of rubber or any other suitable material, the said curtain being suspended from a frame 33 which is supportedabove and over the table 26. To facilitate entry of the plant parts into the machine, the curtain is preferably slit, as indicated at 34, to form separate strips which may move aside to provide a passage of the required width.

A plant part to be processed is preferably held by the point end and fed lengthwise (butt end first) into the machine and then withdrawn to thereby rasp the butt end, the movement of the butt end into the machine being in the direction of, and hence being aided by, the rotation of the rasping roll and its withdrawal movement being counter to the direction of and hence being opposed by, the rotation of the said roll.

The rasped butt end of the plant part is thengrasped and the point end is inserted into and withdrawn from the machine in the same manner, the distance which the butt and point ends of the plant part are permitted to enter the machine being regulated so that in the two operations described the plant part will be rasped throughout its entire length.

It is to be noted that as the openings 21 and 29 are offset laterally the plant parts inserted by an operator at one side of the machine will not become entangled with the plant parts inserted by an operator at the opposite side of the machine even though the plant parts are inserted into the machine simultaneously from the opposite sides. It is to be understood, however, that the said` openings and the tables associated with them may extend the full length of the rasping roll if this is desired and that the'plant parts may be inserted from both sides of the machine without interference. In such a ognstructionl one or more operators may work at each side of the'machine, the operator, or operators, at one side of the machine rasping the butt ends of the plant parts and then passing the latter directly across the machine to the operator, or operators, on the opposite side who may thereupon rasp the point ends. The necessity of turning the plant parts endfor end after the butts have been rasped is thus avoided. This mode of procedure may also be followed, if desired, when the openings 21 and 29 and the associated tables are offset as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 and `has the advantage that it enables the clearance between the roll I2 and the rasping plate I1 to be predetermined with reference to the thicker butt ends of the plant parts and the clearance between the said roll and the rasping plate I8 to be predetermined with reference to the thinner point ends, the clearance between the roll and the plate I1, therefore, preferably being suitably greater than that between the roll and the plate I8. Uniform and effective removal of the pulp from the flbers vdespite th'e difierence in thickness between the butt and point ends of the plant parts is thus insured.

The rasping roll is driven at a high speed and as a plant part is introduced into the machine in the manner described the pulp and other solid materials adhering to the fibers are crushed and scraped from them, the blades 25 acting progressively upon the succeeding portions of the plant part at a rate Adetermined by the rate at which the said part is permitted to enter the machine. Referring to Figure 2 it will be noted that the two blades 25 of each channel member 24 are parallel but non-radial and that when each of said members occupies a position opposite the opening 21 with the blades located equal distances above and below the plane of the upper edge of the rasping plate I1 and the axis of the roll I2 they are horizontal. As a result when the leading blade of each channel member first engages a plant part it forms an acute angle of substantially 75 with respect to a vertical plane touching the leading edge of the working face of the rasping plate (see Figure 3), Whereas when the trailing blade first engages the plant part it forms an obtuse angle of substantially 105 with respect to a vertical plane touching the leading edge of the working face of the rasping plate (see Figure 4).` Hence, although all blades to a certain degree have both a crushing and scraping action, the leading blade of each channel member functions primarily to crush the pulp while the trailing blade functions primarily to scrape the fibers. In this connectionit will be noted that the blades 25 cooperate in the same manner with the rasping plate I8 despite the fact that in the latter instance the plant parts enter the machine tangentially, instead of at Iright angles, with respect to the path of the blades. It is understood, of course, that substantially all of the crushing of the pulp occurs during the movement of the plant parts into the machine and that during the withdrawal of the said parts all of the blades act primarily as -scrapers to remove any pulp which may still adhere to the fibers.

In the embodiment of' the invention shown in Figures 1 and 2, the bearing blocks I4 are formed with slots 35 for accommodating bolts 36 which secure the blocks to the base casting, the slots 35 providing for the adjustment of the rasping roll in a horizontal plane to vary the clearance between the blades of the roll and the rasping plates and to compensate for wearing ofthe parts. Adjusting screws 31, which are carried by the base casting, engage the backs of the bear- A ing blocks and are available to advance the roll I2 toward the rasping plates and serve as stops to prevent accidental or unintentional movement of the roll away from the rasping plates.

A modied form of machine is shown in Figure 5 wherein the bearing blocks 38 for the rasping roll are mounted upon end walls 39 of the base casting which are inclined at an angle of approximately 30 with respect to the'horizontal. In this embodiment a rasping plate 40 is carried by a holder Il which is supported on the base casting at substantially the same angle as the be introduced into and withdrawn from the machines manually. In the machine shown in Figure 7, however, it is intended that these operations be carried o ut mechanically andy to this end the machine, indicated generally at 42, is mounted at one end of a table 43. The latter is carried by a framework 44 and the top 45 thereof is adapted to support the leaves 46 or other plant parts which are to be processed. 'I'he leaves 46,

as illustrated, are advanced along the table by a chain 41 which is supported by sprockets 48, 48 and 58 so that the upper run moveslacross the top of the table. One of the sprockets referred to may be driven in any suitable manner to cause the chain to move continuously across the table.

At\spaced intervals the chain 41 carries trans' versely extending clamps The jaws 52 and 53 of the la`tter have rounded interfitting teeth 54 (Figure 9) and are normally held closed by a spring 55 (Figure 8). They are, however, formed with tallpieces 56 and 51, respectively, which are connected by the springs 55 and vwhich straddle a cam rail 58 as the clamps approach the lower end of the lower run of the chain. The cam rail acts against the tailpieces to open the jaws of the clamps and to hold them open during movement of the clamps partway across the top of the table. As each clamp approaches the upper end of the cam rail the butt end of a leaf or other plant part which has 4 previously been rasped is inserted between its jaws. Hence as the clamp moves beyond the cam rail the tailpieces 56 and 51 are released and the jaws are permitted to clse upon .the raspedend of the leaf. The chain is thereupon operative to advance 'the leaf lengthwise to move. the free end between the rasping roll and plate of the machine 42 to isolate the fiber component in the manner described,"the leaf being withdrawn from between the rasping rollfand plate as that portion of the chain which carries the nclamp passes around the sprocket 58 `and moves toward the lower sprocket 48. As the leaf emerges from between thc rasping roll and plate it moves down' an inclined support 58 and is caused to pass be'- tween a pair'of bladed wheels 68 and-6| which are carried by shafts 62 and 63, respectively. A`

chain 64 which drives the wheel 68 is carried by a sprocket 65 which is fixed to the shaft 62 and a sprocket 66 A(Figure ll) which is fixed to a shaft 61 lwhile a chain 88 whichdrives the wheel 8| is carried by a sprocket 68 which is fixed to the shaft 63 and a sprocket 18 which is fixed to the shaft 51,'the shaft 61 also carrying a pulley 1| which is connectedgby a belt 12 to the drive pulley of a suitable motor 13. The blades of the wheels 68 and 6| mesh and are driven in time relation by' the motor 13. They are operative as the libers travel between them to subject the fibers l toa light beating action and thereby separate them from one anothen'partially dry them and effect the removal of any pulpparticles which maystill cling to them.

' said end is inserted in the entrance of the ele- The shafts. of the wheels 68 and 6| are carried f by arms 14 and 1 5, respectively, which are pivotally supported-at their inner ends upon the shaft 61 and which are connected adjacent their outer ends by a spring 14a. Toggle links 16 connect I the outer ends of the arms 14 and 15 to one end of a slide 18a whichis carried by a block'11, the

other end of the slide having a rolling engagement with a cam 18. 'I'he latter -is fixed to a shaft 18 and is driven by a chain `88 which is carried by sprockets 8| and 82, one of which is carried by the shaft of the sprocket 48. An elei.

vated portion 83 of the cam 18 is so formed and located that it operates the slide 16a to actuate the toggle links 16 against the action of the spring 14a, whereby tol separate the wheels 58 and 6| as each clamp approaches them and hold them apart until passage of the clamp between them. As 'the clamps approach the lower end of the lower run of the chain, after passage of the fibers of the plant parts between the wheels 68 and 6|, their tallpieces move into engagement with the Y cam rail 58 and their jaws are opened. The fibers are thus released and permitted to fall upon a conveyer 64 which is adaptedto carry them to a point from which they may be removed from the machine preparatory to the drying operations which are to follow.

As noted heretofore, it is preferred that the pulp be removed from the butt ends of the plant` parts as a preliminary operation to the gripping of the butt ends by the clamps 5|, wher'eby upon passage of the plant parts between the rasping roll and plate in the manner described the pulp will be removed from the remaining portions of of the fibers in the manner described insures the holding. of the individual fibers against lengthwise movement with respect to adjacent fibers. This has the advantage that the fibers in the thin longitudinal portions (such as the edges o`f leaves, for example) of the plant parts are held firmly and their loss, which might otherwise occur during the rasping and beating operations, is prevented. f y

Although the twisting of the fibers. which are to be gripped by the clamps, may be done by hand, means is provided for reducing to a minimum th time and effort required to perform this operation. The said means, as illustrated in Figures 8 and 10, includes a tubular element -85 which Ait rotatably supported by a bracket 86 above the top of the table in such relation to the rail 58 that as each clampapproaches'. the upper end of the latter one jaw moves over the element l trance 88 which tapers to a reduced bore 88, the

latter having an annular axial portion and communicating diametrically opposed longitudinally.

extending channels 88.

To twist the .rasped .end of a plant part the ment 85, the funnel-like wall of the entrance 'causing some of the fibers to enter the annular portionofthe bore 88 and some. of them to enter the channels 88. As the element rotates the fibers which have entered the channels 88 leave the latter and are twisted around .thosewhich occupy the annular portion of the bore and together withthe fibers originally occupying.

,is moved lengthwise to advance the free end in the direction of the rasping roll and plate.

I claim as my invention:

1. A decorticating machine of the character described including a pair of arcuate rasping plates, a concentric cooperating bladed rasping Iroll, a housing in which said plates and roll are mounted, said plates being arranged so that a radial plane touching the leading edge of one is .substantially normal with respect to a` similar plane touching the leading edge of the other and entrances at opposite sides of `said housing through which the plant parts to beprocessed may be introduced for passage between said platesand roll.

2. A decorticating machine of the character described including a pair of arcuate rasping plates, a concentric cooperating bladed rasping roll, a housing in which said plates and roll are mounted, said plates being arranged at opposite ends of said rollA and in such a manner that 'a radial plane touching the leading edge of one is substantially normal with respect to a similar plane touching the leading edge of the other and through which the plant parts to be processed may be introduced for passage between said plates and roll.

3. A decorticating machine of-the character described including a pair of arcuate rasping' plates; a concentric cooperating bladed rasping roll, the blades of said roll being non-radial and arranged in pairs in such a manner that with respect to the direction of rotation of the roll the leading blade in each pair forms an acute angle with each rasping plate while the trailing blade forms an obtuse angle, whereby the former functions primarily as a crushing blade and the latter as' a scraping blade; a housing in which said plates and roll are mounted, said plates be-` ing arranged at opposite ends of said roll and having an angular relation such that a radial plane touching the leading edge of one is substantially normal with respect toa similar plane 'entrances at opposite sides of said housing I troduced for passage between said plates and roll.

4. A decorticating machine of the character described including cooperating rasping elements,

a housing in which said elements are mounted,

said housing having an entrance through which the plant parts to be processed may be introduced lengthwise for passage between said elements and a curtain of rubber or the like supported in front of said entrance for preventing juices which may be liberated from spraying upon the operator of the machine, said curtain being slit vertically to form independently movable strips which are yieldable in response to the width and thickness of the plantparts to permit the introduction of the latter into the machine. l

5. A decorticating machine of the character described including an arcuate rasping plate, a concentric cooperating bladed rasping roll, and

a table across which plant parts may be advanced lengthwise in the direction of the axis ofA said roll, the blades of said roll being mounted in such a manner that at the leading edgeof said rasping plate certain of them form an acute angle with said plate and act primarily to crush the nonilbrous material of the plant part-s while other of said blades form an obtuse angle with said plate and serve primarily to scrape such material from non-fibrous material of the plant parts while the trailing blade forms an obtuse angle with said plate and serve's primarily to scrape such material from the fibers of said parts.

'7. A decorticating machine of the character described including an arcuate rasping plate, a concentric cooperating bladed rasping roll, and a table across which plant parts may be advanced lengthwise in the direction of the axis of said roll, the blades of said roll cooperating in pairs and being mounted in such a manner that at l the leading edge of said rasping plate the leading blade of each of said pairs forms an angle of the order of with said plate and acts primarily to crush the-non-brous material of the plant parts while the trailing blade forms an angle of the order of with said plate and serves primarily to scrape such material from the fibers of said parts.

WALTER B. SIMONSl 

